Helen Jukes' book, Mother Animal, reveals troubling realities about the presence of pollution in pregnancy and motherhood. Despite concerns from friends about stirring anxiety, Jukes argues that transparency about environmental contaminants is essential for expectant parents. She highlights alarming findings about 'forever chemicals' found in breast milk and fetal tissues. Inspired by climate crisis literature, Jukes encourages awareness about the hidden dangers in everyday products that could affect maternal health. Her passionate narrative combines anger at societal negligence with a quest for understanding, positioning her work as both informative and crucial.
I find it quite disrespectful to think that mothers wouldn't be capable of handling [this] information.
There are chemicals from human industry in breast milk, amniotic fluid and bones.
It was not until I had my daughter that I realized how much I had missed.
My research and writing move between a wild, controlled anger and an unceasing determination to understand the state of play.
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